Oblique Shock Waves:

Oblique shocks and corresponding relations (No Derivations)

Shock polar

Hodograph plane

Supersonic flow over a wedge

Supersonic flow over a cone

Regular reflection from a solid boundary

Intersection of oblique shock waves of same family

Intersection of oblique shock waves of opposite families

Pressure-deflection diagrams

Mach reflection

Detached shock wave

 Introduction

• The normal shock wave - a compression front normal to the flow

direction.

• A compression wave inclined at an angle to the flow occurs. Such a

wave is called an oblique shock.

• In deed, all naturally occurring shocks in external flows are oblique.

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 • When we shift to the reference frame where the body is
stationary, the wave system also becomes stationary
relative to the body.

• This stationary configuration allows a clear and direct

relationship between the shape of the body, the wave
system formed, and the resulting flow field.

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• The normal shock wave is a special case of oblique shock waves,
with shock angle β = 90◦.

• Superposition of a uniform velocity, which is normal to the upstream

flow, on the flow field of the normal shock will result in a flow field
through an oblique shock wave.

• Oblique shocks are usually generated when a supersonic flow is

turned into itself.

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When a supersonic flow is turned away from itself, results in the
formation of an expansion fan.

Oblique shock Expansion fan

1 2
1 2

M1 M2 < M1 M1
M2 > M1

(a) Compression corner (b) Expansion corner

Supersonic flow over compression and expansion corners.

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Features of flow across oblique shock wave
• The flow is deflected into itself by the oblique shock
formed at the compression corner.
• Downstream of the corner, the flow becomes parallel to
the solid wall.
• All streamlines are deflected by the same angle θ at the
shock.
• This results in a uniform, parallel flow downstream of
the shock.
• The angle θ is called the flow deflection angle.
• Across the oblique shock wave:
• Mach number decreases
• Pressure, density, and temperature increase
• The corner that turns the flow into itself is called a
compression corner or concave corner.

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In contrast, in an expansion or convex corner, the flow is turned away
from itself through an expansion fan, as illustrated in Figure 4.1b. All
the streamlines are deflected to the same angle θ after the expansion
fan, resulting in uniform parallel flow downstream of the fan. Across the
expansion wave, the Mach number increases and the pressure, den-
sity and temperature decrease. From Figure 4.1, it is seen that the
flow turns suddenly across the shock and the turning is gradual across
the expansion fan and hence all flow properties through the expansion
fan change smoothly, with the exception of the wall streamline which
changes suddenly.

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• Oblique shock and expansion waves prevail in two- and three-
dimensional supersonic flows, in contrast to normal shock waves,
which are one- dimensional.

• In this chapter focus is on steady, two-dimensional (plane) supersonic

flows.

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Oblique Shock Relations

The flow through an oblique shock is illustrated. The flow through a

normal shock has been modified to result in flow through an oblique
shock, by superimposing a uniform velocity Vy (parallel to the normal
shock) on the flow field of the normal shock .

Flow through an oblique shock wave.

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 Momentum Eqn –
Normal component

Momentum Eqn –
Tangential component

Continuity Eqn

Tangential vel component is same or preserved

across the oblique shockwave
The resultant velocity upstream of the shock is
is inclined at an angle β = tan−1(Vx 1/Vy ) to the shock. This angle β
is called shock angle.

The velocity component Vx 2 is always less than Vx 1; therefore, the

inclination of the flow ahead of the shock and after the shock are
different.

The inclination ahead is always more than that behind the shock
wave, i.e., the flow is turned suddenly at the shock. Because Vx 1 is
always more than Vx 2, the turning of the flow is always towards the
shock.

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• The angle θ by which the flow turns towards the shock is called
flow deflection angle and is positive.

• The rotation of the flow field by an angle β results in the flow field
shown in Figure b, with V1 in the horizontal direction.

• The shock in that field inclined at an angle β to the incoming

supersonic flow is called the oblique shock.

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The relations between the flow parameters upstream and downstream
of the flow field through the oblique shock, can be obtained from the
normal shock relations , since the superposition of uniform velocity w
or Vy on the normal shock flow field does not affect the flow
parameters (e.g. static pressure) defined for normal shock.

The only change is that in the present case the upstream Mach
number is

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The component of the upstream Mach number M1 normal to the shock
wave is
Mn1 = M1 sin β
Thus, replacement of M1 with M1 sin β in normal shock relations
results in the following relations for an oblique shock.

ρ2 (γ + 1)M21 sin2 β
=
ρ1 (γ − 1)M 12 sin 2 β + 2

p2 2γ
=1+ (M 12 sin 2 β —1)
p1 γ +1

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 T2 a22 2(γ − 1) M 12 sin 2 β − 1
= 2 =1+ (γM 1
2 sin 2 β + 1)
T1 a1 (γ + 1)2 M2 sin2 β
1

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The normal component of Mach number behind the shock Mn2 is given
by
M12 sin2 β + γ−1
2
Mn22 =
2γ 2 sin2 β − 1
γ−1 M 1

From the geometry of the oblique shock flow it is seen that the Mach
number behind the oblique shock, M2, is related to Mn2 by

In the above equations, M2 = V2/a2 and Mn2 = Vx 2/a2.

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• It is seen from the oblique shock relations that the ratio of
thermodynamic variables depends only on the normal component
of velocity (M1 sin β) ahead of the shock.

• But, from normal shock analysis we know that this component

must be supersonic, i.e. M1 sin β ≥ 1.

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• This requirement imposes the restriction on the wave angle β
that it cannot go below a limiting minimum value for any given
M1.

• At this minimum limiting value of shock angle, the shock gets

degenerated to an isentropic wave (also called Mach wave) across
which the change of flow properties become negligibly small. Such
a weak isentropic wave is termed Mach wave.

• The maximum value of β is that for a normal shock, β = π/2.

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Thus for a given initial Mach number M1, the possible range of wave
angle is

The limiting values of the wave angle are of special significance.

The strongest wave possible in a given supersonic flow is the normal

shock corresponding to the given M1. The weakest wave is the Mach
wave corresponding to the given M1.

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• In uniform supersonic streams such as the flow in a supersonic wind
tunnel test-section, no shocks are formed when the test-section is
empty. (Ideal case)

• Whereas, the weakest limiting isentropic waves, namely the Mach

waves are always present in all supersonic flows. Even in the
empty test-section of a supersonic tunnel the Mach waves are
present.

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In an undisturbed uniform supersonic flow why should there be Mach
waves present?

In an uniform supersonic flow such as that in a wind tunnel test-section,

if the test-section walls are absolutely smooth there will not be any
Mach wave present in the flow. However, absolute smooth surface is
only a theoretical assumption.

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Thus, any practical surface is with some roughness and not absolutely
smooth. Therefore, any supersonic flow field generated by a practical
device is bound to posses Mach waves. In deed, the size of the gas
molecules are enough to cause Mach wave generation. Therefore, even
in a free supersonic flow without any solid confinement Mach waves will
be present.

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An important feature to be inferred here is that the Mach waves, like
characteristics will be running to the left and right in the flow field. Be-
cause of this the Mach waves of opposite families prevailing in the flow
field cross each other. But being the weakest degeneration of waves,
the Mach waves would continue to propagate as linear waves even after
passing through a number of Mach waves.

In other words, the Mach waves would continue to be simple waves

even after intersecting other Mach waves. Because of this nature of
the Mach waves, a flow region traversed by the Mach waves is simple
throughout (see Section 4.10).

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Relation between β and θ

For determining M2 the flow deflection angle θ must be known.

Further, for each value of shock angle β at a given M1 there is a
corresponding flow turning angle θ. Therefore, θ can also be expressed
as a unique function of M1 and β.

Vx1
tan β =
Vy
Vx2
tan(β − θ) =
Vy

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 tan(β − θ) Vx2
=
tan β Vx1
By continuity,
Vx2 ρ1
=
Vx1 ρ2
Now, substituting for ρ1/ρ2

tan(β − θ) (γ − 1)M 12 sin 2 β + 2

=
tan β (γ + 1)M21 sin 2 β

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Equation is an implicit relation between θ and β, for a given M1. With
some trigonometric manipulation, this expression can be rewritten to
show the dependence of θ on Mach number M1 and shock angle β,

as

Equation is called the θ–β–M relation.

The expression on the right hand side of Eq becomes zero at

β = π/2 and β = sin−1( M 1 ), which are the limiting values of β.
1
The deflection angle θ is positive in this range and must
therefore have a maximum value.
 40

Flow deflection angle θ 30

M1 = ∞
M2 > 1 M2 < 1
10
20
5
2
4
3
(degree)

1.6
10
1.4

1.2

0
0 20 40 60 80
Wave angle β
(degree)

Oblique shock
solution.

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 For any given supersonic Mach number M1, there is a maximum
value of θ.
1

At a given M1, if θ > θmax, then no solution is possible for a

straight oblique shock wave. In such cases, the shock will be
curved and detached.
Detached shock
Detached shock

M1 > 1
M1 > 1 θ > θmax

Detached shocks.

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 • When θ < θmax, there are two possible solutions, for each
value of θ and M, having two different wave angles.

• The larger value of β is called the strong shock solution and the
smaller value of β is re- ferred to as the weak shock solution.

• For strong shock solution the flow behind the shock becomes
subsonic.

• For weak shock solution, the flow behind the oblique shock
remains supersonic, except for a small range of θ slightly
smaller than θmax, the zone bounded by the M2 = 1 curve and θ
= θmax curve.

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• If θ = 0, then β = π/2, giving rise to a normal shock, or β
de- creases to the limiting value µ, i.e., shock disappears
1 and only Mach waves prevail in the flow field.

• That is, when the flow turning angle θ is zero, the following two
solutions are possible for the shock angle β, for a given M1.

• (a) Either β = π/2 giving rise to a normal shock which does

not cause any flow deflection, but would decelerate the flow to
subsonic level, or

• (b) β = sin−1(1/M1) = µ corresponding to a Mach wave, which

even though inclined to the upstream flow, would not cause any
flow deflection, being the limiting case of the weakest isentropic
wave for a given M1.
A very useful form of θ–β–M relation can be obtained by rearranging -
Dividing the numerator and denominator
of the right hand side by 2M21sin2 β and solving,

1 γ + 1 tan (β − θ) γ− 1
= −
2
M1 sin β
2 2 tan β 2

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This can be simplified further to result in
γ + 1 2 sin β sin θ
M12 sin2 β —1 = M1
2 cos (β − θ)

For small deflection angles θ, Eq. (4.14) may be approximated as

If M1 is very large, then β ≪ 1, but M1β ≫ 1 and Eq reduces to

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• If the deceleration of flow is such that the Mach number behind the
shock continues to be greater than unity, the shock is termed weak
oblique shock.

• If the downstream Mach number becomes less than unity then the
shock is called strong oblique shock.

• It is essential to note that, only weak oblique shocks are usually

formed in any practical flow and it calls for special arrangement to
generate strong oblique shocks.

• One such situation where strong oblique shocks are generated

with special arrangements is the engine intakes of supersonic flight
vehicles, where the engine has provision to control its
backpressure.

• When the backpressure is increased to an appropriate value, the

oblique shock at the engine inlet would become a strong shock
and decelerate the supersonic flow passing through it to subsonic
level. 34 / 331